This bill would clarify that possession of a prescription controlled substance that contains an opiate combined with a non-controlled substance is not punishable in trafficking in opium or heroin.

The bill creates a new felony “trafficking in pharmaceuticals” offense and sentencing structures.

This act would become effective December 1, 2017 and would apply to offenses committed on or after that date.

Senate:

This bill was introduced as a proposed committee substitute on April 13, 2017 in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The proposed committee substitute was adopted.

This bill was introduced as a proposed committee substitute on April 20, 2017 in the Senate Health Care Committee. The proposed committee substitute was adopted.

This bill was introduced in the Senate Rules and Operations Committee on April 24, 2017.

This bill passed second and third reading in the Senate on April 24, 2017.

House:

This bill was referred to the House Rules and Operations Committee on April 26, 2017. This bill was withdrawn from the House Rules and Operations Committee, and re-referred to the House Judiciary II Committee on June 13, 2017.

This bill is scheduled to be heard in the House Judiciary II Committee on June 20, 2017.

This bill was pulled from the House Judiciary II Committee calendar during the meeting on June 20, 2017.

This bill was re-referred to the House Health Committee on June 20, 2017.

A proposed committee substitute was introduced in the House Health Committee on June 21, 2017.

This proposed committee substitute removes all language from the original bill, and turns it into a new bill.

Now, this proposed committee substitute would modify requirements to LME/MCOs, which manage the publicly funded behavioral health services throughout North Carolina.